ESOCS Devotional 26 July 2024 – Watch and Pray
MEMORY VERSE: “Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.”Mark 14:38 KJV
TEXT: MARK 14:32-42
hen they came to a place which was named Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 And He took Peter, James, and John with Him, and He began to be troubled and deeply distressed. 34 Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch.”
35 He went a little farther, and fell on the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. 36 And He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.”
37 Then He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour? 38 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
39 Again He went away and prayed, and spoke the same words. 40 And when He returned, He found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy; and they did not know what to answer Him.
41 Then He came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough! The hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.”
Read Other ESOCS Devotional here
The history of our Lord’s agony in the garden of Gethsemane is a deep and mysterious passage of Scripture. He was being “made a curse for us.” He was bearing our griefs and carrying our sorrows according to the covenant He came on earth to fulfill. He was being “made sin for us who Himself knew no sin.” His holy nature felt acutely the hideous burden laid upon Him. These were the reasons of His extraordinary sorrow.
Observe what an example our Lord gives us of the importance of prayer in time of trouble. In the hour of His distress, we find Him employing this great remedy. Twice we are told that when His soul was exceeding sorrowful, “He prayed.”
We shall never find a better formula than this, for the patient bearing of affliction. The first person to whom we should turn in our trouble is God. The first expression of grief we should make, should be in the form of a prayer. The reply may not be given immediately. The relief we need may not be granted at once. The thing that tries us may never be removed and taken away. But the mere act of pouring out our hearts, and unbosoming ourselves at the throne of grace will do us good. The advice of James is wise and weighty – “Is any afflicted? Let him pray” (James 5:13).
Remarkably, what a striking example our Lord gave us of submission of will, to the will of God! Deeply as His human nature felt the pressure of a world’s guilt, He still prayed (v 36). Let us strive and labour to have “the mind that was in Christ” in this matter. Let us daily pray and endeavor to be enabled to mortify our self-will. A continually increasing disposition to submit our own wills to the will of God, is a sign that we are really “growing in grace, and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ.”
Let us also note how much weakness may be found even in the best Christians. We have a painful illustration of this truth in the conduct of Peter, James, and John. They slept when they ought to have watched and prayed. Let us ever be on our guard against the slothful, indolent, lazy spirit, which is natural to us all, and especially in the matter of our private prayers.
As Christians, let us not forget that we have within us a double nature–a ready “spirit” and weak “flesh” a carnal nature inclined to evil, and a spiritual nature inclined to “good”. These two are contrary one to the other (Gal. 5:17). Let us never forget to “watch and pray.” We must “pray without ceasing” regularly, habitually, carefully and at stated times.
The solemn counsel, which our Lord addressed to His disciples should often ring in our ears: “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.” It should be the Christian’s daily motto from the time of his conversion to the hour of his death.
- Do you feel helpless and abandoned in times of distress and unfavourable situations?
- Jesus my Lord, may your Grace be sufficient for me in times of distress, always hear me when I call upon your name. Amen.
Further Reading: 2 Kings 1:1-15; Jeremiah 4:1-14; Luke 9:46-56
ESOCS Devotional 26 July 2024
